This study aimed to examine how the age at which adults are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) influences their likelihood of developing various non-communicable diseases (NCDs) later on. We conducted a nationwide population-based study including 212 participants first diagnosed with DM at ages 20–39, 40–49, 50–59, or 60–69, and compared them with 17,541 participants with no history of DM, using data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey. The NCDs investigated included hypertension, lung conditions, heart diseases, arthritis, liver diseases, kidney disorders, and digestive illnesses. Poisson regression was used to calculate weighted risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for age, sex, urban vs. rural residence, and history of tobacco use.
Participants with DM had a higher risk of developing hypertension across all age groups compared to those without DM. Specifically, individuals diagnosed with DM between the ages of 20 and 39 had significantly higher risks of lung disease and arthritis, while those diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 49 also had increased risk for digestive disorders. Participants diagnosed with DM at ages 40–69 showed an elevated risk of liver disease, and those diagnosed at 40–59 had a higher likelihood of heart disease, compared with participants without DM. Overall, people with DM tended to develop subsequent NCDs at earlier ages than those without a DM diagnosis. These results highlight the importance of monitoring and lifestyle interventions for individuals with early- or later-onset DM, which could help prevent additional NCDs and support better public health outcomes.
